LAX–> HKG – 15 hours. Thank goodness for Economy Plus and that 6 extra inches of delicious leg room. I still gave dirty looks to people in the lay flat beds in business, but not being sardined in economy is upgrade enough for this girl. With or without the luxury of an upgrade, there are a few essential items for long flights that will make your journey far less treacherous. Here are my Top 5 must haves to survive long flights:

Sound Cancelling Headphones: does this really need an explanation? Engines, babies, the guy who thinks it is somehow okay to play Candycrush with the sound on next to you. Bye! I got these bad boys for Christmas from the husband- total game changer!

Snacks: Airline food. More risky than the lotto. Be scared and be prepared. Go Picnic is one of my favorite grab and go airplane snacks. They sell them in the airport/grocery stores/amazon and have gluten free options too! No more risking it on the mystery meat.

Water: yes they have water on the plane, yes they rip you off when you buy it at the airport, and yes I still think you should buy a few bottles to bring along. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to fight the dehydrating effects of flying. I’m not a doctor and I’m not your mother so I won’t lecture you- but drink tons of water! Especially for those of us who want to enjoy a glass of vino or two- just to calm the nerves of course.

Neck Pillow: I used to judge people who lugged neck pillows with them on flights. Nerds! Well I have proudly joined the ranks of neck pillow nerdom. I found “the one”. Yes, there is a huge difference in brands and quality when it comes to neck pillows. Do your research and try it before you buy it. Everyone has a different neck and head so find one that fits you right. You and your neck will thank me. Bonus for the new neck pillows like this one I bought that smashes down to a compact carrying size.

Vitamin E Oil: This Body Shop Oil is my go to, but Moroccan Oil or an intense hydrating cream will probably work just as well. Basically an airplane is a moisture sucking vortex and your skin is in the front lines of battle. I apply a few drops of oil on my face and neck a couple times during the flight and it helps fight the dry and red skin I usually get post flight.

In 2011 I made a resolution to take a photo every day of the year on my iphone, and I’ve been doing it ever since! I take my favorite photo each day, use PicLab to add a date on it and then post it to Instagram. At the end of each year I use Blurb to put together a mini album with each photo from the year to make m own little personal yearbook.

Now that I have a little collection, I keep them stacked up in my living room. I love flipping through and reliving moments both big and small. One of the things I love about the photo a day process is that it places equal importance on each day. Days where I’m on an awesome adventure are right there next to days where I worked late and the most interesting thing in my day was my coffee. On days like that it can be hard to remember or to find something to take a photo of, but that’s what it’s all about. It forces me to be aware and thankful for each day and what it has to offer. Some days are super exciting and it’s easy to take tons of photos, other days it’s almost bed time and I panic and thank God that I have a cute dog for a last minute snap. But no matter what, I’m there looking for meaning in each day, thankful for beauty in the obvious and the seemingly mundane.

Mine was! Thanks to the crew over at RawSpiceBar who sent me an awesome sampler of their monthly spice box.

RawSpiceBar is everything one wants from a monthly subscription service- unique, high quality and affordable. Each month they send out a spice box with three spices from around the globe, usually with a regional theme. My little package arrived with three freshly ground Norwegian spices in it: Gravlax, winter herbs and gingerbread spices. I’ve never even heard of Gravlax before (and I’m part Norwegian!) so it was fun to expand my spice horizons and try something new.

The spices are each came individually wrapped and labelled with detailed descriptions of the spice and how to use it. The package also included a small recipe booklet with chef recommended dishes for each spice.

At only $6 a month this is one of the most affordable subscription boxes available. Definitely a great gift idea for your foodie friends or that person who has everything. My only wish is that the little packages were re-sealable in case you don’t use all the spice at once. A small issue I easily overcame with the power of ziploc baggies!

Now I just need to find a stellar gluten free gingerbread recipe to try.. any suggestions?